Mr. Speaker, I am rising this evening to present a petition on behalf of residents in the town of Georgina, specifically in Keswick, on a new invasive aquatic species that was discovered in Lake Simcoe, in Cooks Bay, last year.
This invasive species is known as water soldier, and the petitioners point out that it is a threat to both the aquatic and plant life in Lake Simcoe, as well as to our agricultural work in the area, because of its proximity to the Holland River.
There are remediation efforts available. Therefore, the residents of my constituency are asking three things of the government. First is to list or identify the water soldier as an invasive species. Second is to nominate a single federal department or agency to take ownership of this issue. Third is to allocate sufficient financial and technical support to advance remediation efforts.